Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Has anyone have success with using a Brooklyn knowledgeable apartment broker?
I'm moving from out of state and totally done with hitting scam after scam on Craigslist.

Oops..post to soon

I'm looking for a studio/1bd in areas that are close to what the Park Slope neighborhood has to offer and transportation (less than a 40 minute commute to Midtown).

This is the broker I went through:
http://www.brooklynlandmark.com/

I found the listing for my current apartment originally through Craigslist, but these folks were super friendly. Their office is located on Montague St in Brooklyn Heights. I always tell people who are dead-set on Park Slope to broaden their search to Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill/Brooklyn Heights because you have a lot of the same attractiveness of Park Slope, but you're a) slightly closer to Manhattan, and b) close to the water (which I enjoy in the early morning). I'm in Carroll Gardens and I was initially looking in Park Slope, and now I can't imagine living in a different neighborhood than I'm in right now. I love it!

If your main criteria is 40 minutes to midtown, check out long island city and astoria, too. If you definitely want to live in Brooklyn, then ignore me!

ijdi, at the beginning of search i was looking into astoria and sunnyside but become set on park slope (and surrounding areas) for various reasons with one being lack of green space.

alice, thanks for the recommendation. unfortunately, i haven't seen any carroll gardens / cobble hill apts come up so i'm leaning towards windsor terrace and kensington based on price and space.

That makes sense! If you want to keep looking in astoria for any reason you could look for a place near astoria park or near the two coves community garden. We definitely don't have as much in the way of vegan food as park slope, but things are getting better! /end of queens promotion

Are you going to be picking a place based on pictures alone are will you be visiting to actually view some apartments?

Unfortunately I don't have a broker recommendation, I just visited a bunch of places on craigslist. But if you can't find someone to recommend a broker to you I highly encourage coming and viewing some places personally. I found one place on craigslist in Windsor Terrace, the broker seemed very nice, but when I went to view the apt I found out that the top floor of the duplex was only about five and a half feet high.

I know some people who know some people who can recommend a broker if you're interested, but I've never used one so I can't personally vouch for anything. Best I can do is three degrees, but I think they did specialize in Park Slope/Carroll Gardens/Gowanus area. Unfortunately I've never used one myself, I've only interacted as much as paying them to show me a place I already found on CL.

DFresh, three degree recommendations are fine! i appreciate input.
i would like to see the apt first but i can't which is why i'm looking for a recommended broker who is honest/upfront.
i travel a lot for work so i'm prepared to move into an okay apt, deal with it for a year and then move on.

You also might want to consider looking for a one or two month sublet so that you can spend more time shopping around. I know the idea of moving twice in short order is probably not too appealing though.

yeaa..subletting is plan c. ha.
i already moved once this year so i want find a place and stay put.

Here is the recommendation: www.realtycollective.com

My friend said her coworker really liked them; hopefully you'll have similar luck.

i found an apt in queens that i like.

kelly killian was my agent and was awesome/affordable to work with.
bondnewyork.com/nyc_real_estate_agent_1142.htm

hooray! glad it all worked out for you.

Yay! Was about to tell you to come to kensington and be my neighbor, but Queens is awesome. Glad it worked out.